Aspiring Sports Broadcasters – Listen Up!

Building relationships with athletes and the audience while learning to effectively communicate is what makes a great sports broadcaster

There are fine lines, subtleties some might say, between successful sports broadcasters who rapidly climb the market ladder and the myriad of voices and faces that stay put in the small market netherworld.

After 25 years of major market sports broadcasting experience and talent coaching, David Brody can diagnose the difference.

“I can’t tolerate arrogance,” says the former New Jersey Sportscaster of the Year.

“I understand that great sports broadcasters must have strong commanding presence, and you need confidence to give opinions to thousands of people, but don’t sound like your opinion is the only one that matters. This just in, you are an entertainer, a companion, and a friend. You are not curing Ebola. Stop sounding like you are the most important person on the planet.

“I also don’t like listening to the used car salesman. The guy who is trying way too hard. Just talk to me. Stop the performance. Stop talking down to me. Just because you have a microphone doesn’t mean you have the right to talk to me like I’m an idiot.

“And stop the anger. There is a huge difference between anger and passion. Passion fuels talk-radio. Anger fuels my desire to turn you off.”

If you feel you are destined for a career either behind the mic or in front of the camera, the following advice from David Brody will get you started down the right path:

You became a sports broadcaster in 1979 and have gone on to an illustrious career, how did you break into the sports radio business back then and how much different/harder is it now?

Brody: The business is completely different.

When I started, ESPN was in its first year of existence. We were nearly ten years away from WFAN becoming the first all sports station. The secret wasn’t out on this phenomenon known as sports radio. That’s not to say there wasn’t competition, but it wasn’t nearly as great as it is today.

My goal was to be prepared for the real world the day I left college. I did everything I could behind a microphone for five years leading up to graduation day. I spent a year broadcasting sports on my high school radio station, and four doing sports, news, and DJ shows in college.

I also took advantage of internships. I was the second ever intern at ESPN, and I turned a news/sports internship at WDRC in Hartford, into a reporting job.

In my senior year of college I was covering the Hartford Whalers and the mayor of Hartford for WDRC. The more you can do the higher your career ceiling becomes.

Let’s dig deeper into becoming a sports broadcaster either in front of the camera or the mic – the theory has always been you start out at a small market like Pocatello, Idaho and work your way up market by market…. is that still the best way?

Brody: No question.

I remember a couple of years ago, a young guy in New York City told me he knew he had to start small in a market like Birmingham, AL. I had to inform this guy that Birmingham is not typically a starting point for people fresh out of college.

More likely, you would looking at a place like Pocatello, Idaho, which is a perfect spot to work on the many flaws every young broadcaster has to correct.

Brody: Work ethic and the ability to accept constructive criticism are imperative. It’s also vital that the talent is unique.

What separates you from everyone else? And, how comfortable are you in presenting your opinions? Are you willing to let me into your life as you look to entertain and inform me?

The great sportscasters are constantly showing their human side. They aren’t afraid to take chances and they understand the meaning of the term self-deprecating.

I’ve always preached to young sports broadcasters that they need to learn more than just presentation skills to really make it – in your view what are the most important skills aspiring sports reporters and sports radio hosts need to develop?

Brody: The ability to communicate in a one-on-one intimate manner. It’s not about broadcasting. It’s about reaching out to each listener and making an emotional connection with that person.

It’s about being relatable.

You need to have the ability to come across as just a ‘guy’ who is like your next door neighbor or the guy in the stands at the soccer match.

You need to show the listener that you also have problems and you bleed the same color as he does.

You aren’t above the listener, you are speaking to him, not at him.

We appear to be in the golden era of sports broadcasting, more and more sports networks are popping up on TV, and sports radio is growing up from AM to FM at exponential rates, do you feel this is something that can last or is there a down cycle on the horizon?

Brody: I have no doubt that this phenomenon will continue.

As long as we have sports fanatics, sports on radio and television will continue to grow. Play by Play rights fees will continue to climb. If you have a passion for sports broadcasting, there will be opportunities for you.

The question is, are you willing to do what’s necessary to take advantage of the growing opportunities? Too many young people believe they have it all figured out, and this is the perfect recipe for disaster.

Most sports radio hosts and broadcasters start in a small market and work their way up.

No one has it figured out at 22, let alone 32 or 42. Those who work hard and who understand that everyone can get better, are those who succeed.

The know-it-all is the guy who never advances and then complains that he business is cruel and unfair.

Your coaching program is called Broadcaster Marketing Service – why is marketing yourself such an important part of this process?

Brody: Like on-air talent, I need to sell what I offer.

I always considered myself a sales person when I hosted shows. I was selling myself. I believe you sell yourself before you sell your product.

My coaching clients will tell you that the session doesn’t end when the clock strikes zero. It ends when I finish the material that needs to be addressed in that session.

I have my cell phone with me nearly every minute of the day and I do my best to super serve each client regardless of market size.

I speak to most of my representation clients at least once or twice a week. I market myself as a guy who’s been in this business a very long time, who’s made every mistake there is to make, and who hopefully can help you avoid some the mistakes that hindered my progress when I was young.

There’s nothing wrong with making a mistake. There’s plenty wrong with not addressing or fixing it.

When you first get a client into your coaching program, what are the most important first steps with them?

Brody: Getting the person to understand talent coaching isn’t about breaking the person down, it’s about building the person up.

It’s not my goal to tell you how horrible you sound. It’s my goal to show you how you can sound better.

No one likes being criticized, and coaching will never work if the talent is defensive. So, I need to get the person to trust that I’m all about making him or her better, and once you let the guard down, we can develop you as a personality.

In your talent coaching program for sports broadcasters and in your classroom at Kennesaw State, how do you know when you have been successful with a student?

Brody: There is nothing like hearing the smile in the person’s voice when he or she improves and they begin to ‘get it.’ You know you’ve made great progress when a person says, ‘I’m hearing it. I now understand what you mean by ……” Once the person hears it, they can then apply what you’re teaching.

My favorite line in coaching is ‘do you hear it?” If they don’t hear it, they won’t make the correction. Perhaps the best barometer for measuring progress is when talent informs me their 90 year old grandmother listened to their game and she couldn’t believe the improvement.

Father may know best, but no one is a tougher critic than 90 year old grandma. You know you’re onto something when she’s throwing out compliments.

Brian Clapp has worked in the sports media for over 14 years as a writer, editor, producer & news director. After beginning his career in Atlanta at CNN/Sports Illustrated, he switched coasts to Seattle to work at Fox Sports Northwest. In 2010, Brian began pursuing a new found passion on the digital media side, launching a successful website and then taking on the role of Director of Content for WorkinSports.com & WorkinEntertainment.com.

Recently, Brian has become addicted to Google+ and LinkedIn so add him to your circles and make him a contact. No seriously, do it.

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Comments

No disrespect to your Boston upbringing but there are also a couple of professional memories you would probably want to forget from the 1980’s. Paul Revere could tear up that Freedom Trail yelling to Bill Buckner that the ball is coming and it would still go between his legs and well there is no reason to bring up a bad memory. Probably one that many New Englanders would suggest that added to problems they already had and that’s why they were in therapy.
Of course, then there was always the 1985 Super Bowl which is just painful to watch and the aptly named Super Bowl shuffle, about a shade above a root canal. But oh the memories made in the Garden by a tall, crystal skinned red head from Indiana. Not just the Kelly and Green on the parquetted wooden floor but also the Bruins slapped the puck around quiet well.
While college football, particularly in your neck of the woods established why Doug Flutie would be able to have Flutie Flakes. By the way, the profits were a great cause.
I am from the Dixon part of the Mason-Dixon line. I grew up in Oklahoma and honestly while I watched the Dallas Cowboys (who didn’t in the 1970’s), the Oklahoma Sooners were much more important. Though some of the problems that now plagues professional sports were starting to come to life at Oklahoma. Barry Switzer simply got tired of feeding the “monster” and as a result the Sooner program really ceased to exist until Bob Stoops left Florida.
College football seems much more accessible than the NFL. Certainly more emotional. You can see a real investment that people make in the college game. Sitting on the couch of the University Center hotel at the University of Georgia listening to people that had been coming to games for 50 years it was amazing to hear the hope in their voices. How they referred to the players as their own family members, maybe an extended great grandson or nephew. While I am sure you could go into the frozen recesses of Green Bay, Wisconsin and find that same devotion but for me it’s always been the college game.
Many things have changed in the college game. Certainly, you don’t have the accessibility you once did. Never again will you see a situation where Bear Bryant was at Texas A&M and then Nederland High School football coach Oaile “Bum” Phillips use BBQ sauce bottles and salt and pepper shakers to do X and O’s while eating brisket. Even with the union the Northwestern players are trying to get off ground and the age old issue of paying players it’s a great game.
I would hope the Probation Ponies would show the problems an influx of money to players creates but the opening strains of Glory Glory to Old Georgia or the Block T of Texas A&M show us what is right. The devotion that fans feel to a certain school whether they went there or not. In Alabama, after custody of children is decided the next big decision even before the house is who gets the Iron Bowl tickets.
I understand there are the wonderful stories that inspire admiration and awe like that of Chucky Mullins from Ole Miss. It’s not about a kid playing his heart out to achieve something to be able to wear number 38 at the Rebels spring game, if you can battle through, I can too.
Maybe playing at the college level still represents the love of the game though that love comes at huge cost when you have some athletic departments that make more than some third world countries. Even with the problems that the college game has, I’ll take the Iron Bowl over the Pro Bowl any day.

Well John, I was expecting people to use the link provided to post their thoughts… but this will work too. YOu got off to a bad start with bringing up Buckner, but actually make my point. I believe a love of sports comes from where you started and what you were exposed to. While seeing the Sox lose the World Series was an awful experience, I felt something and that is what makes sports so special. Your recap of my 80’s sports life was enjoyable – I shook Doug Flutie’s hand at his homecoming parade after winning the Heisman (I grew up near his hometown of Natick) and still remember where I was when he connected with Gerard Phelan to beat Miami (Mike Keblin’s house playing football in his backyard, but came in to see the final 5 minutes). Even still, I’ve always been drawn to the pro game, as have the masses, just look at and compare the TV ratings. Yes, that is only one metric, but the gap is so wide it’s hard not to postulate that most people gravitate towards the pro game unless they have a strong rooting interest for a powerhouse college team. But I love your response, because it’s passionate, sincere and gosh-darnit you mentioned Bum Phillips by his real name (even if you spelled it wrong (Oail)) Email me bclapp@workinsports.com and I’ll send along a little something to you – Brian

Nice post Brian! Because not all viewers have in depth knowledge about the game, its rules, intricacies, strategies and nuances. Commentators also usually know more about the participating teams and players and their histories. So in that way, commentators add an extra level of information for viewers who may not have that information handy but would find it enjoyable.

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